Over 25,000 Americans Appeal on President Trump to Halt War on Kratom

A petition from American Kratom Association (AKA) was launched on Dec. 19, 2016 asking President Trump to stop the administration’s war against Kratom. AKA has called this action as “overkill” and noted that not less than 23,000 people have commented against its crackdown by Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA).

Kratom, a Southeast Asia native plant that is actually part of the coffee family, is known as a natural opioid that has been used by many who are suffering from chronic pain, depression and anxiety. This is in contradiction to the government’s perception of Kratom as an addictive drug, akin to Marijuana etc. Something that AKA has been working tirelessly to shed a light upon.

AKA’s letter to Trump has cited the president’s campaign to end overregulating government and the restoration of its minimal role in the American lives as its reason on pushing through with the advocacy. They further noted that about five million people who depend on this natural herb to maintain well-being would lose access as long as the DEA continues its actions against it; something that President Trump has authority to overrule.

Their appeal also mentioned that some of DEA and Food and Drug Administration (FDA) actions towards the criminalization of Kratom have abused those who sell, produce and use it. They further noted that despite some legitimate evidence of Kratom’s classification of being more like a coffee and poses no danger to health at all, the DEA, along with FDA are still very firm on their claim of Kratom as dangerous and even classified it as among the likes of cocaine or even heroin.

The petitioners who call themselves as the “real face of America” have appealed, that even with their association to Kratom, to not label them as drug abusers as they are more like those people who line-up and spend their time on cafes. Suggesting Kratom as not anything more than the average Joe’s coffee, be it from Starbucks or home brewed.

Michael Smith is the founder of KratomNews.org. He currently works as content manager for a major news organization. An avid user of Kratom, Michael is one of the solid advocates who dedicates himself to joining various causes and organization that aim to raise awareness and fight illegalization of the natural herb in the U.S.